The Problem with Cults

[Onion Eater]

The problem with cults is that their young followers can easily be re-directed to nefarious purposes that are completely at odds with why the kids joined up in the first place.

For example, when Charles Manson was picking up young girls in city parks, he didn’t say, “Hi! I’m a mass murderer. Want to come and help me kill people?” No. He spoke of peace and love and similar sixties-type themes. It was only after they had transferred their loyalty to him that he gradually shifted his focus from peace and love to murder and mayhem.

This is what I see happening with the Mises cult. Their legions of teenage followers joined up because they were attracted by all the talk of freedom and liberty. But now their leaders are gradually shifting the focus towards socialism and slavery. Anybody who questions this new definition of what “Austrian economics” means is quietly banned.

How else can you explain why [ame=http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=197876]this post[/ame] was banned?

How else can you explain this quotation?

Socialist objectives can be achieved in a market context with the rule of law if market socialism were to take the form of competitive worker-owned and self-managed enterprises, supplemented by universally available welfare redistributions, which could include a basic income, universal capital grants, or education and health insurance vouchers.

How else can you explain this quotation?

Labor-managed firms themselves are not antagonistic to the market economy. Even if other forms of employment contract are not legally permitted, such firms still exist in a market context where competition and profit and loss determine their success or failure.

Of course, if other forms of employment are not legally permitted, then one is a slave. What else does the word mean?

 

[Arch Enemy]

I swear to God. You're still an alien to me.

 

[rathi]

While I agree that many people treat economics with the same zealotry as cult members, you are completely off base. In fact, you display that attitude that yourself with your absurd hyperbole. I personally believe that labor managed firms are not a viable replacement for our current market economy with privately-owned capital. However, the people who believe in it are just normal people with different opinion on an economic theory. Its possible for people to disagree without labeling the other side as some kind of threat to humanity.

 

[Onion Eater]

Its possible for people to disagree without labeling the other side as some kind of threat to humanity.

Tell it to [ame=http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=197876]Liberty Eagle.[/ame]


She is just a normal person with a different opinion on an economic theory - and the ability to ban anybody who questions her new definition of what "Austrian economics" means.

 

[rathi]

She is just a normal person with a different opinion on an economic theory - and the ability to ban anybody who questions her new definition of what "Austrian economics" means.

I worry for you if you think organized murder is any way comparable to getting banned from an internet forum. Liberty eagle appears to be a petty jerk, but that still isn't anywhere close to the hyperbole described in your OP.

 

[Onion Eater]

Workers should not be permitted to cede to a capitalist both the legal responsibility for the firm’s output and the liability for their labor time.

I think we all know what “not permitted” means.